


Leaf Ears

by Medu_Nefer



Category: The Chronicles of the Raven - James Barclay
Genre: Graphic Description, M/M, Smut, post Chronicles of The Raven, pre Legends of The Raven
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-20
Updated: 2017-07-20
Packaged: 2018-12-04 19:49:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11562132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Medu_Nefer/pseuds/Medu_Nefer
Summary: Hirad and Ilkar have a nice, quiet evening of reading, teasing and reminiscing that quickly turns into lovemaking.





	Leaf Ears

**Author's Note:**

> Unbeta'd.
> 
> Set after "Nightchild", shortly before "Elfsorrow".
> 
> Contains references of Hirad and Ilkar's first meeting, described in "Or so Legend Has It..." by James Barclay.
> 
> Enjoy the read!

A light breeze blew in through an open window, making a few candles’ flames flicker and throw dancing shadows. Cicadas could be heard from the outside, along with some chirping birds. The night was quiet and peaceful.

Hirad raised his gaze from the book that lay on his lap and stared ahead, trying to wrap his mind around what he had just read.

Suddenly, he heard an amused snort from the side and turned to look at his companion.

‘A lot to process?’ Ilkar asked from where he sat at a table, surrounded by a pile of books and scrolls. ‘After all it’s such a nerve-wracking and overwhelming novel about adventure and love. I can understand why your simple barbarian mind would have trouble—’

‘Oh shut up, sharp ears,’ Hirad laughed, waving the book in the elf’s direction. ‘You should be happy I’m reading anything at all.’

The Julatsan leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest. His flat-oval hazel eyes gleamed in the scarce light as he raised an eyebrow. ‘Are you calling me “sharp ears” now? Again? After almost sixteen years?’

‘Oh, I know you secretly long for me to call you that.’

‘Yeah. Just look how elated I am,’ Ilkar said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Which, of course, brought a wide grin to Hirad’s face.

‘Well, I’d call you ecstatic. Rapturous even.’

Ilkar snorted and rolled his eyes. ‘Gods, I’m glad you’re here with me. I can relish in the fact that I’m not you.’

Hirad’s grin became even wider. ‘I’m peerless.’

‘That’s not what I meant and you know that.’

The barbarian shrugged and stood up. He approached the table and put the book on it, knowing he’d had enough of it for one day. He wondered what the others would say if they ever found out he had learned how to read and write. It brought a smile to his face.

‘Oh, some great discovery’s coming. Come on, share it.’

The warrior looked up and met the mage’s gaze. His smile softened and his eyes gleamed with internal light. He knew Ilkar wouldn’t remain unaffected.

And as usual, the elf’s body relaxed and he smiled fondly at his oldest companion, in a fashion no other Raven had ever seen for it was reserved for Hirad and Hirad alone. The barbarian knew it meant the biting remarks were over for the day.

He was a little surprised when Ilkar stood up and approached him to rest his head on his chest. His arms instinctively enveloped him, pulling him even closer. The elf smiled into the fabric of his shirt and closed his eyes, happy and at ease. He could feel one of Hirad’s hands rubbing his back in the oh-so familiar way.

‘Aren’t you scared of someone walking in on us like that?’ the barbarian murmured, toying with Ilkar’s short dark hair.

‘They haven’t noticed anything for fifteen years, Hirad. I’m positive I could convince them I was casting some spell or something.’ He was quiet for a moment. ‘And I want to cuddle a little bit.’

‘Aww, you’re so cute.’

They both chuckled and then the elf pulled slightly away and looked the barbarian in the eye. He saw endless love and devotion there, and couldn’t help but smile even more widely. And then he was pressing their lips together in a chaste kiss.

One of Hirad’s hands entwined in his hair, locking his head in place as the warrior deepened the kiss. Ilkar parted his lips, allowing him the room for exploration. Not that there was much for him to explore after fifteen years of relationship.

At first the kiss was sweet and slow but soon enough they started nibbling at each other’s lips, sucking at them, teasing the other one with edging away at the last moment. Hirad pressed his lips to Ilkar’s jaw line, mindful of not leaving any love bites even if he really wanted to. The elf quickly returned the favour, loving the feeling of warm skin beneath his lips and tongue, of stubble scratching at his own facial-hair-free face.

Before any of them noticed, their kisses became more passionate and greedy, fuelling their ever-present desire. Hirad’s hands more and more often landed on Ilkar’s hips, squeezing and pulling him closer; the elf’s own hands caressed the barbarian’s entire torso and his head. They tugged at each other’s hair, kissed each other’s cheeks, whispered each other’s name.

Suddenly, Hirad pulled away, startling Ilkar. The barbarian took his face in his hands to assure him everything was fine.

‘It would be difficult to explain our spell-casting now, wouldn’t it?’ he chuckled.

Ilkar watched him for a moment without a word and the warrior marvelled at the slightly rosy tone of his cheeks. ‘Are you suggesting we moved it into the bedroom?’

The barbarian grinned, his teeth flashing in the scarce light. ‘You really are a seer.’

Ilkar just rolled his eyes, shaking his head with a small smile on his lips. Hirad watched him for a moment, loving every single thing about him. He was so handsome, with his high cheekbones, flat-oval hazel eyes, narrow lips and arched eyebrows. His athletically slim body was muscled and lean, his skin smooth and perfect. Gods, and the fluent grace of his movements...

The Julatsan cupped his lover’s face in his hands and kissed him slowly, sweetly. In his mind’s eye he saw Hirad’s face from before fifteen years, without quite a few scars and some wrinkles. In his eyes he lost nothing of his handsomeness – most people wouldn’t use that word to describe the barbarian but he did see something unique and beautiful in him – and he loved to see him age. He loved it and hated it – he couldn’t even think about his life after Hirad’s death.

He pushed the painful thought aside and focused on the warrior’s tongue, sucking lightly on it, feeling him shiver at the sensation. One of his hands grabbed Hirad’s and he tugged at it, urging him to follow him to his room.

They couldn’t get there soon enough. They had to stop every few steps to kiss and touch, whisper sweet nothings, unbutton one or two buttons of their shirts.

But eventually, they stumbled into Ilkar’s room. The elf slammed the door shut and pulled the barbarian closer, discarding his usual calm and solemn demeanour. He let his desire guide him, make him kiss his lover harder, press him against the wall as he finished unbuttoning his shirt. His lips clung to Hirad’s neck and his hands pressed into his chest, only to slide down excruciatingly slowly.

Ilkar didn’t waste any more time and unbuckled the warrior’s belt and unlaced his trousers, his hands shaking slightly in anticipation. He wrapped his fingers around Hirad’s erect cock and felt it harden further as he squeezed and pumped it lazily.

The barbarian grunted and titled his head back until it rested on the wall behind him. His eyes fluttered close for a moment as he relished in the sensation. He always knew Ilkar had nimble hands, given the amount of practice he put into casting, but it always took him aback.

After a moment his mind cleared a bit and he looked at the mage. He was flushed and panted loudly, his lust-darkened eyes glistening. His reddened ears prickled slightly when he felt Hirad’s hands coming to rest on his hips.

With veteran’s cat-like reflexes the barbarian lifted him from the floor and spun them around so now Ilkar’s back was pressed against the wall. He felt the Julatsan’s legs wrapping around his waist and he smirked.

He kissed and laved at the elf’s hairless chest, rocking his hips in a steady motion which he knew drove Ilkar mad. Their groins burned at the contact, separated by two layers of fabric. The mage groaned and entwined his arms around the warrior’s neck, pulling him even closer.

Eventually, the elf grabbed his head in his hands and stared at him, pouting. He opened his mouth to say something but Hirad knew better than that. He pulled away from the wall, easily supporting his lover’s weight, strode through the room and dropped him onto the bed.

The pout disappeared immediately and the elf settled himself comfortably, looking up at the warrior. Hirad was standing there, gazing down at him with almost tangible need, first beads of sweat already forming on his forehead.

And as the Julatsan watched, he stripped off his shirt and then trousers, making Ilkar blush. The elf loved seeing him like that. He loved his muscular torso – not as muscular as The Unknown’s and thus much easier on the eye – and his powerful legs, knowing how well everything worked together, making Hirad an exceptional fighter and killer. He himself was muscled too – life on Calaius in preparation of service and then ninety years of being a mercenary took their toll – but there was something very unique in a human body. And in that one in particular.

He smiled and waved his hand, prompting Hirad to join him on the bed. The barbarian didn’t need more incentive. He leaned over the elf, grabbing his wrists and pinning them to the mattress above his head, and captured his sensuous lips in a searing, breathtaking kiss.

His free hand rubbed against the mage’s side and when he reached his shoulder, he took his shirt off with practiced ease. He heard the elf gasp as his lips closed around one of his nipples. He added his tongue, focusing on taking his lover’s trousers off, as usual struggling when they were lying down.

Suddenly, Ilkar freed his wrists and started brushing his hands down Hirad’s sides, making him shiver.

Hirad brushed his lips against Ilkar’s and locked their eyes. The elf nodded without a word and the barbarian shot out of the bed, grabbing a phial from a nightstand before hastily returning to his lover.

He settled between the mage’s legs and uncorked the vessel, his hands trembling slightly. He poured some of the dense liquid onto his fingers and looked at the Julatsan, who had the look of someone deep in concentration on his face. The barbarian knew a part of the mage’s mind was focused on loosening his muscles and shaping mana. He reached out with his clean hand and brushed it over his cheek, gently rousing him from the trance-like state.

Ilkar’s gaze sharpened and he smiled, nodding minutely. Hirad licked his lips and leaned forwards, kissing the top of the elf’s cock before reaching between them and gently massaging his opening. Due to the mage’s earlier ministrations, he immediately could slip in one finger, and he did exactly that.

He smirked, seeing how Ilkar’s lips twitched, how his fingers dug into the sheets, hearing a small gasp that escaped him. He didn’t waste much time and added a second finger. His cock was painfully hard and he couldn’t think straight. He felt a nub beneath his fingers and rubbed it, watching Ilkar arch and cry out. He felt waves of heat spreading through him and he knew he was already sweating as he watched his beloved.

‘It’s fine, love,’ he heard and only after a while realised it was Ilkar. His voice had gotten so deep and throaty that it actually made Hirad shiver.

He knew what the elf meant but wanted to make sure. He locked their eyes and rasped, ‘You sure?’

The mage propped himself up on his elbows behind him and pressed his lips against Hirad’s, his tongue flickering over his teeth.

‘You ever doubt me?’

The barbarian smiled and shook his head. He reached for the phial once more and poured the oil onto his palm. He could feel Ilkar’s eyes on himself but couldn’t bring himself to care. He was hot and randy, and he needed to take the elf. He stroked himself a few times, making sure he was well-lubricated, and then settled himself comfortably between the Julatsan’s spread legs. The warrior leaned forwards to capture his beloved’s lips in a kiss, one hand cradling his head, the other one guiding himself towards the elf’s entrance.

And then he was slowly pushing inside and swallowing Ilkar’s gasps and moans as the elf trembled under him. When he buried himself to the hilt, he pulled away and froze to let his lover adjust to his presence. He closed his eyes for a moment, overwhelmed by the tightness and the heat even though he couldn’t remember how many times they had done that.

And after a while he felt Ilkar’s hand on his cheek. He opened his eyes and saw the most beautiful and erotic sight – his flushed beloved, with his lips parted, sweat beading on his forehead. He focused on his dilated pupils and saw the absolute love and need.

He kissed him again and started to slowly move his hips, unable to hold back any longer. After a few tentative thrusts he felt Ilkar moving in time with him, meeting his movements with growing enthusiasm.

The barbarian pressed his lips to the elf’s neck, kissing, nibbling and licking, his hips snapping forwards faster and harder. He felt his lover’s hands coming to rest on his back and shivered at their shared closeness.

Ilkar moaned hoarsely and dug his nails into the warrior’s skin, leaving a few long scratches behind. He cried out in pleasure when that thick, long cock slammed into his prostate.

Hirad felt those long, strong legs wrap themselves around his hips, allowing him to push deeper, to induce more friction. He grunted and gasped when Ilkar’s walls squeezed him, making him falter in his pace. In retaliation, he grabbed the elf’s cock and started pumping it in time with their rocking, revelling in the way the mage turned into a hot, trashing and mewling mess.

One of Ilkar’s hands remained on Hirad’s back, stroking it forcefully, and the other one travelled lower until it landed on his buttock, squeezing it, feeling how it tensed and relaxed rhythmically.

‘Oh fuck, I love you,’ Ilkar whimpered in a quivering voice between guttural moans. ‘I so fucking love you.’

Hirad kissed his sensitive earlobe, grinding his hips harder, feeling heat pooling in his abdomen. And then he remembered how one of the elves from Herendeneth taught him how to say “I love you” in elvish, and the words spilled from his mouth.

Ilkar froze and stared at him, his eyes widening in surprise. But Hirad didn’t let him come round and assaulted his neck, his grip on the Julatsan’s length increasing, his merciless thrusting continuing.

They were lost in each other, in their passion and desire, completely consumed by their love and familiarity. There was nothing beside them in the whole world, no war, no promises of great deeds, not even The Raven.

Eventually, Ilkar’s back arched and he cried out, exploding stars before his eyes. Hirad felt fluid running down his fingers and felt pressure on his cock grow, and it finally pushed him over the edge too.

He bit at Ilkar’s collarbone as he filled the elf with his semen. When he was done and his hips stilled, he made sure the elf was coming down from his peak as well and collapsed on top of him. The mage embraced him instinctively.

They were gasping heavily and their hearts raced in their chests. After a few long moments Hirad rolled off his lover and they both stared at the ceiling. Their breathing slowed down and their minds began to regain some sense. The barbarian could feel he was going to doze off when Ilkar shifted and laid his head on top of his chest, one of his hands drawing circles on his stomach.

‘Leaf ears.’

Hirad blinked, dumbstruck. ‘What?’

‘When we first met, you said my ears aren’t sharp and “leaf ears” would be more accurate than “sharp ears”.’

The barbarian was quiet for a moment, not knowing what to say. ‘You’ve been thinking about that this entire time?’

Ilkar raised his head to look at him. He blinked slowly and frowned. ‘No. Just now.’

Hirad laughed and shook his head, feeling way too comfortable to tease his elf.

‘What? Why are you laughing? Are you laughing at me?’

The Raven man shook his head, still chuckling, hugged the elf to his side and kissed the top of his head.

‘I love you, Ilks. That’s all.’


End file.
